How well did you do? 😉

Even though the Past Tense is one of the most basic topics, it’s not as easy as it seems. I’ve tried finding good explanations on exactly how to choose between the Past Tense I and II in many different grammar books, but they all are not very well written for a person who doesn’t know any Tatar, kind of expecting you to already have a gut feeling of which one you should use.

I’ve tried explaining these tenses the best I could in the Past Tense I and Past Tense II posts, check them out if you haven’t yet! If there are any teachers or linguists out there with more hints or suggestions, please feel free to share 🤗

#tt_intermediate
Wishes

Like all Turkic peoples, Tatars love wishes. We have so many phrases to wish you prosperity, good luck and so on.

👋🏼 When we say goodbye to someone, we say:

tağın kilegez – come again (plural)
kergəlәgez – come by (pl.)
qarap qına yör – take care
… (D) səlam əyt – say hi to…

🧳 Or if someone leaves on a trip:

xəyerle yul – bon voyage
xəyerle səfər bulsın – have a nice trip
yulıñ uñ bulsın – good luck (on a trip)

🎁 If someone buys or receives a new piece of clothing as a gift, we wish them:

qotlı bulsın – best wishes (lit. “may it be happy”)
cılı təneñdə tuzsın – may it wear out on your warm body
östeñdə kiyep tuzdırırğa yazsın – may it wear out on you
östəwle kiyem (mal) bulsın – may more clothes (wealth) come to you
rəxəten kürergə nasıyp itsen – may it bring pleasure
igelek (xəyere) belən bulsın – may it bring good
östennən östəlsen – may more be added

♥️ Tatars’ wishes are always çın küñeldən or çın yörəktən (from the bottom of our hearts)!

🍽️ To someone who’s eating, we wish:

təmle bulsın – bon appetit
aşlarığız/çəyləregez təmle bulsın – enjoy your (pl.) meal/tea

💪🏼 To someone who’s working, we wish:

Allah qüwət birsen – may Allah give you strength
Allah yərdəm birsen – may Allah help you
qüwətegez küp bulsın – lots of strength to you (pl.)
eşləregez uñsın – wishing you (pl.) success in your work

If they are just starting their work, you can also say:

qulıñ ciñel bulsın – may your hand be light

Or you may help them! Before you start working, you can say:

Allahqa tapşırdıq – handing over to Allah

💡 Bear in mind, these expressions are not reserved solely for deeply religious individuals; they are commonly used by Tatars regardless of their religious beliefs or degree thereof.
_________________________
Based on N. Gabdreyeva, G. Zinnatullina “Speech Etiquette in the System of Genetically Different Languages”

#tt_advanced
Compound Tenses: Past Tense II + bulu

1. -ğan, -gən, -qan, -kən bulğan.

This form indicates that an action had been completed by the time another action occurred, and the narrator did not witness it. It expresses the result of an action or the fact that it took place. It could be termed as the "unwitnessed past perfect" when compared to the past perfect in -ğan ide.

İşetüwemə qarağanda, qayçandır Dəwləkənnən Stərletamaqqa yul salırğa uylağannar həm bu dambanı şunıñ öçen kütərgən bulğannar. (Əmirxan Yeniki, “Soñğı kitap”)
According to what I heard, they once had decided to build a road from Dawlakan to Sterlitamak and, therefore, had raised this dam.

2. -ğan, -gən, -qan, -kən bulır.

This form indicates either a future action resulting from specific conditions or a habitual action with a present result. In the latter case, it's synonymous with -ğan bula.

Irtəgə kiçkə klub bötene belən bezneñ tuy öçen xəzerləngən bulır. (Fətxi Burnaş, “Kamali qart”.)
By tomorrow night the whole club will have been prepared for the wedding.

3. -ğan, -gən, -qan, -kən bulaçaq.

This form indicates that the action expressed by the basic verb will definitely have taken place as the result of conditions mentioned in a given context. It is synonymous with that in -ğan bulır, except that it is explicitly categorical.

Xəzer bez ezlərenə töştek. Berniçə səğəttən alar qamalğan bulaçaq. (Fətxi Burnaş, “Xösəyen mirza”)
We have come upon their track. In a couple of hours they will have been surrounded.

4. -ğan, -gən, -qan, -kən bula(lar).

This form is used in narratives to emphasize that an action has been completed and has produced a result before the time of speaking. It's often used alongside present tense verbs for vivid storytelling.

Almış xan Bolğar ilendə islam dine taratu həm məçet saldıru öçen belgeç sorıy… Bolğar xanınıñ İslam dine qabul itüwe xaqında işetkən bulalar. (Rawil Fəxretdinov, “Bolğar tarixına yaña istəleklər”)
Almış khan asked for a specialist to spread Islam and to get a mosque built in Bolghar… They had heard about the Bolghar khan’s acceptance of the Islamic religion.

It can denote actions that will definitely have taken place at a certain point in future time.

Ul anı inde sin qaytışqa onıtqan bula.
He will already have forgotten about it when you return.

One of the variations of the flag of Lipka Tatars

almost resembling the flag of Golden Horde but with smaller and reversed logo located on the upper hoist side

#tt_culture
Lipka Tatars

The Polish-Lithuanian Tatars, numbering over 26 thousand in 1993, have a rich history deeply intertwined with the region's politics. From the very beginning of their settlement in Lithuania they were known as the Lipka (the old Crimean Tatar name of Lithuania) Tatars, a distinct group with their own unique history and cultural identity.

The Lipka Tatar origins can be traced back to the descendant states of the Golden Horde, the Crimean Khanate and Kazan Khanate. By the end of the 14th century, Vytautas the Great invited Tatars to settle in the Grand Duchy.
Initially, their service was military in nature, evident in their participation in key battles like the Battle of Grünwald against the Teutonic Order. They served various Polish kings and left their mark on history through their bravery and loyalty. Over time, many Tatars migrated to Poland and Turkey, often receiving land in exchange for military service to Lithuanian princes or Polish kings.

In 1672, the Lipka Tatar subjects rebelled against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, known as the Lipka Rebellion. King Jan III Sobieski of Poland, highly respected by Tatar soldiers, managed to persuade many Lipkas to return to his command and granted them noble titles in recognition of their service. Notably, during the Napoleonic wars, some Tatars fought for Poland's liberation from Russian rule.

Initially serving as a noble military caste, later they became urban dwellers known for their crafts, horses and gardening skills. While they remained very attached to their religion, over time they lost their original Tatar language. From the late 18th to the 19th century, the Lipka Tatars increasingly adopted the Polish language and customs, especially among the upper and middle classes. The lower ranks became more influenced by Ruthenian culture.

In the 20th century, particularly around the time of the Russian Revolution in 1917, Tatar communities in Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine formed the Voluntary Committee with the aim of self-determination. However, the Tatar communities faced challenges, including pressure to assimilate and a changing political landscape, leading to migrations. Despite these challenges, efforts have been made to preserve the Tatar culture and heritage. In 2010, a monument honouring Tatar soldiers was unveiled in Gdańsk, Poland, with the country's president, Bronisław Komorowski, participating in the ceremony. His mother, Jadwiga Komorowska, has Tatar ancestry, which adds a personal connection to the community.

Today, the Lipka Tatars’ total population is 10-15,000 individuals, mostly residing in Belarus, Poland and Lithuania. Despite historical migrations and cultural adaptations, these Tatar communities have maintained their distinct cultural and religious identity and remain an integral part of the region's diversity.

#tt_newbie
Infinitive and hobbies

The infinitive in -rğa, -rgə, etc. (neg. -masqa, -məskə) modifies nouns, adjectives or modal words used attributively or predicatively.

... mondıy waq-töyəklər turında ozaq söyləşep torırğa waqıtı yuq ide. (Fatix Xösni, “Malay, çilək, əbi”)
... he had no time to talk for long about such small details.

Siña xat yazmağanmın. Menə anısı öçen meñ tapqır ğafu ütenergə əzer. (Ğamir Nasrıy, “Yəşel eşləpə”)
I haven't written you a letter. I'm ready to apologize a thousand times for that.

Sin borçılma, Şəmsiyə apa. Xafizğa beraz xəl cıyarğa, yoqlap alırğa kirək. (Riza Işmorat, “Gölzadə”)
Don't worry, Şəmsiyə. Xafiz must rest a little and sleep for a while.

You can use this infinitive to describe your hobbies in Tatar:

Min … yaratam. – I like … .

uqırğa – to read/study
yal itergə – to relax
rəsem yasarğa – to draw
duslar belən oçraşırğa – to meet up with friends
gitarada uynarğa – to play guitar
sport belən şöğellənergə – to do sports
kinoğa/teatrğa/konsertlarğa barırğa – to go to the movies/theater/concerts
muzıka tıñlarğa – to listen to music
biyergə – to dance
cırlarğa – to sing
küñel açarğa – to have a good time / amuse myself
səyəxət itərgə – to travel
peşerergə – to cook
futbol / kompüterda uynarğa – to play football / video games

Please note that the infinitive cannot be used with postpositions! (e.g. “uqır öçen”, NOT “uqırğa öçen”)

This is all the basic information that you need about the infinitive. If you want to go further in your learning, here are more ways of using the infinitive in your speech that we will talk about in the next post.

#tt_beginner
More uses of Infinitive

The infinitive in -rğa, -rgə followed by ide expresses a strong wish or desire, a suggestion, an advice with a tinge of regret, a duty, obligation, necessity, need, or irony. If indicated, the subject (the agent) is in the dative.

Qıçqırmasqa, tawışlanmasqa ide miña, ə milisiyəgə xəbər itərgə ide. (Afzal Şamov, “Yaqtaşım”)
I should not have screamed and made a scene, I should have notified the police. (The speaker wishes that he had not acted the way he did and regrets it)

We had a list of phrasal verbs that are used to express a decision to do something, but did you know there was a simple construction that expresses the same thing?

The infinitive in -rğa, -rgə, followed by bulu (typically in the indicative past tense I) expresses the agent's decision or intention regarding carrying out or refraining from the action denoted by the infinitive.

Ul bik əybət keşe, əni, qarşı kilmə, min añarğa kiyəwgə çığarğa buldım. (Fatix Xösni, “Ğilmenisa”)
He is a very nice man, Mother, don't oppose it, I have decided to marry him.

The affirmative infinitive in -rğa, -rgə, etc. followed by bulu in the third person singular (bula / bula ide / bulır / bulır ide), expresses the possibility to perform the action denoted by the infinitive. The construction can be impersonal-indefinite, or it can refer to a specific agent. If indicated, the latter is in the dative case.

Kürəm, başqortlar. Dimək, tatarça söyləşergə bula. (Mirsəy Əmir, “Bez bələkəy çaqlarda”)
I see, they are Bashkorts. That means, one can speak Tatar to them.

The negative infinitive in -masqa, -məskə, followed by bulu in the third person singular indicates that the action need not be carried out. If indicated, the acting person or thing is in the dative case

Xəyer, aña bügen eşkə barmasqa da bula. (Mösəğit Xəbibullin, “Sular örgə aqsa da”)
Okay, there is no need for her to go to work today.

The infinitive in -rğa, -rgə etc. may be followed by different verbs to convey different meanings:

🌷Infinitive + qalu (to stay, remain in 3rd person sing) = the subject has no choice but to carry out the action. If indicated, the agent appears in the dative case.

kötərgə genə qala – all that remains for us to do is to wait

🌷Infinitive + itü (to do, make) = the subject intends or attempts to carry out the action

Yegetlərneñ berse anı quyıp totarğa itte, ləkin Qotbıy anı tuqtattı. (Mösəğit Xəbibullin, “Sular örgə aqsa da”)
One of the young men wanted to chase after her and catch her, but Qotbıy stopped him.

🌷Infinitive + toru (to stand, live, dwell) or yörü (to walk) = the subject is about to or intends to carry out the action

yañğır yawarğa tora – it is about to rain

🌷Infinitive + totınu (to hold to, to set about) = the beginning of an action.

xalıq qul çabarğa totındı – people began clapping their hands

🌷Infinitive + dip = purpose

Yuq, bügen ul alar yanına bötenləy başqa nərsələr turında söyləşergə dip kilgən ide bit. (Ləbibə İxsanova, “Yul keşese”)
No, today she had come to them to talk about completely different things.

🌷Infinitive + ikən(lek) = necessity, duty

nişlərgə ikənen (or ikәnlegen) əytermen – I'll tell you what to do

🌷Infinitive + bar, yuq, tügel
Expresses possession of, or lack of, things needed or commonly used to carry out the action denoted by the infinitive

östemə kiyərgə yuq – I have nothing to wear

#tt_intermediate
Positive energy!

🤗 Do you feel like nowadays you need some empathy and support more than ever? Or do you know someone who needs a pick-me-up? We’ll teach you some nice phrases to give you or your loved ones that warm and fuzzy feeling.

Sin yalğız tügel. – You’re not alone.
Xisləreñne añlıym. – I understand how you feel.
Xəyerlegə bulsın. – Hopefully it’s for the better.
Barısı da yaxşı bulır. – Everything will be okay.
Min siña ışanam. – I believe in you.
Yarıy əle sin bar. – It’s good to have you. (lit. At least there is you.)

Qurıqma! – Don’t be afraid!
Borçılma! – Don’t worry!
Bireşmə! – Don’t give up!
Sin buldırasıñ! – You can do it!
Aşıqma! Aşığudan fayda yuq. – Take your time! There's no rush.
Afərin, şəp kilep çıqqan! – Bravo, you did an amazing job!
Bigrək uñğansıñ! – You’re so talented/skillful!
Sin mine ilhamlandırasıñ. – You inspire me.

Do you know any other phrases of support and positivity in Tatar? Share them in the comments!

#tt_advanced
Comparison of 3 tenses + a test

Past Perfect (Küptən ütkən zaman)
An action performed at some point in past time or the result of a past action or the state resulting from a past action.
🕔 Past tense II stem (past participle) of the verb with idem, ideñ, ide, etc.:
eşləgən ide

Imperfect (Təmamlanmağan ütkən zaman)
An action started in the past and is taking place when another action occurs. Reflects the process.
🕔 Present tense stem + idem, ideñ, etc.:
eşli ide

The habitual past (Qabatlawlı ütkən zaman)
Expresses an action that repeatedly took place in the past. The English equivalent is “used to do sth.”
🕔 Past participle of the verb toru followed by idem, ideñ, ide, etc.:
eşli torğan ide

Do you know when to use each of these tenses? Check your knowledge with this test 👇🏼

Fəyzraxman Əminov

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